40 feared dead after boat capsizes in Jigawa
At least 40 women and children are feared to have died after a boat overturned in Ringim LGA of Jigawa State.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Jigawa police command confirmed the incident, saying one body had been recovered while efforts were ongoing to locate the other passengers.
“One of the bodies was recovered. Efforts to recover the 39 are underway,” the command said.
Muhammad Sanusi, director of planning at the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told journalists in Dutse that the victims, largely women working as farmers and farm labourers, were travelling in a canoe when it capsized.
Sanusi said the exact cause of the accident had not been established, noting that emergency officials, local divers and community members were continuing search operations for possible survivors.
“Hands are on deck as combined efforts continue to determine the exact number of those rescued or missing,” he said.
He added that the authorities had not yet determined the exact number of people who died as rescue efforts were still in progress.
Boat mishaps occur frequently in many northern communities where waterways serve as a major means of transportation.
Such accidents are often blamed on overloaded boats, poor maintenance and the lack of life jackets.
